The Latin name of the genus and species of the new tree is Prunus persica, Batsch.
xe2x80x98Rattrayxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, herein denominated as the xe2x80x98Rattrayxe2x80x99 cultivar. The xe2x80x98Rattrayxe2x80x99 cultivar has yellow-fleshed fruit with peento shape. Peach trees known to the inventors and which have peento-shaped fruit, such as of the xe2x80x98Saturnxe2x80x99 cultivar, are white-fleshed. Again, this new peach is a yellow-fleshed mutation; otherwise, it is believed identical in all other vegetative and fruiting characteristics to the xe2x80x98Saturnxe2x80x99 peach of commerce.
In 1982, we received a shipment of peach trees that were supposed to be xe2x80x98Elbertaxe2x80x99 variety (unpatented) trees from a mid-west nursery. We planted these trees at our facility in Mesa, Wash. In about 1985, we discovered about 50 trees that had peculiar fruit, peento-shaped, flattened fruit with low-acid, sweet, white flesh. At first we thought the trees were infected with a virus, but later we became convinced that the nursery had supplied us with a different peach variety. This peach variety subsequently was identified as Stark xe2x80x98Saturnxe2x80x99, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,123, now expired.
In the summer of 1993, it was noticed that a single limb on one of the xe2x80x98Saturnxe2x80x99 peach trees growing in a cultivated area had fruit with yellow flesh, rather than the usual white-fleshed fruit of the xe2x80x98Saturnxe2x80x99 variety. In the summer of 1995, approximately 35 trees were budded at our direction from the mutated limb. These trees were budded onto St. Julian plum rootstock. In the summer of 1997, the first fruit from the budded trees was produced, and all fruits were identical to those on the original mutated branch, including the yellow flesh. In 1999, we budded additional trees for our own planting. The original second-generation trees propagated in 1995 remain true to type, thus confirming the stability of this mutation.